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In the summer of 2026, Zhongmu County in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, faced a widespread watermelon surplus. Ripe watermelons piled up in the fields as farmers watched a year of hard work risk going to waste. Upon learning of the crisis, LMQ Rides immediately organized a procurement team to visit local farms and take concrete action.
The LMQ Rides purchased thousands of kilograms of Zhongmu watermelons for employee welfare and community distribution. This was not a grand charity spectacle, but a simple choice made by a company rooted in Henan when its neighbors needed help.
Zhongmu Watermelons Face Severe Surplus
Zhongmu County is one of Henan’s most important watermelon production areas, long known as the “Hometown of Watermelons.” Each summer, Zhongmu watermelons are recognized nationwide for their thin rinds, vibrant red flesh, and high sugar content.
Bumper Harvest Meets Sales Bottleneck
During the 2026 harvest season, Zhongmu’s watermelon output increased significantly. However, due to market supply-demand fluctuations and disrupted logistics channels, large quantities of ripe watermelons could not be sold in time.
Many farmers saw watermelons piling up in their fields, at risk of spoilage. An entire year of hard work threatened to amount to nothing, severely impacting household income.
Multiple Challenges for Farmers
The surplus caused more than just economic losses. Watermelons are highly perishable fruits with a very short shelf life after ripening. Once the optimal sales window passes, quality deteriorates rapidly and buyers lose interest entirely.
Storage and transportation costs continue to accumulate as well. Farmers face daily expenses for cold storage rentals and labor, meaning the longer the delay, the greater the financial damage.
Many farmers were forced to sell at prices far below production cost. Some even abandoned harvesting altogether, plowing the watermelons back into the soil as fertilizer. Such scenes were deeply heartbreaking for anyone who heard about them.
A Company Acts Within 48 Hours
After learning about the watermelon surplus, the company’s management treated the matter with high priority. A special meeting was convened, and the decision to launch a farmer assistance procurement initiative was made immediately. From decision to departure, the entire process took less than 48 hours.
Procurement Team Reaches the Fields
The procurement team visited multiple townships in Zhongmu to assess the surplus situation firsthand and negotiate purchases directly with farmers. They walked through the villages hit hardest by the surplus and saw mountains of watermelons piled beside the fields, along with the anxious expressions on farmers’ faces.
Purchase prices were set above the prevailing distress-sale market rates, ensuring that farmers could recover their basic cultivation costs. This was not charity handout, but respect for the value of labor.
Employee Volunteers Join the Harvest
Beyond the procurement team, the company organized a volunteer group of employees to travel to Zhongmu. Volunteers assisted farmers with harvesting, carrying, and loading watermelons, expressing solidarity through physical work.
Volunteers labored under the summer sun alongside the farmers. Many employees noted that participating in the harvest gave them a deeper appreciation for agricultural work. One volunteer said, “We build amusement rides in the factory. Today we picked watermelons in the field. Both are honest labor.”
More Than Just Buying Watermelons
The initiative was not a simple purchase but a systematic support plan. The company advanced the effort across three dimensions: procurement, distribution, and public awareness.
Targeted Help for Those Most in Need
The procurement team obtained information through local agricultural authorities and prioritized farmers facing the most severe surplus and the most difficult financial circumstances. Thousands of kilograms of purchases could not resolve the entire county’s surplus, but it provided critical relief for those who needed it most.
Distribution Reaches Employees and Communities
After transport back to the company, the watermelons were distributed as summer welfare benefits to all employees. A portion was also donated to nearby communities and partner organizations, extending the goodwill from the fields even further.
Social Media Amplifies the Cause
The company published a visual report through its official channels, generating widespread attention and shares. This drew more social forces to pay attention to the Zhongmu watermelon surplus.
Several business partners, after seeing the report, proactively contacted Zhongmu farmers to make purchases. One person’s kindness can inspire a group. One company’s action can ripple across an entire industry.
Why a Ride Manufacturer Helps Sell Watermelons
An amusement ride manufacturer buying watermelons from farmers — the connection may not seem obvious at first. But there is a logic worth reflecting on.
Giving Back to the Land That Nurtured the Company
LMQ Rides has been rooted in Henan for decades. The company’s growth is inseparable from the nurturing of this land. Henan is a major agricultural province, and the parents and grandparents of many employees were farmers. When neighbors’ watermelons cannot be sold, a company reaching out is not an act of charity, but an act of reciprocity.
Over the years, the company has participated in multiple initiatives for agricultural product promotion, disaster relief, and other public welfare activities. During Henan’s severe flood disaster, the company also organized donations of funds and supplies to support affected areas.
From Manufacturing Joy to Delivering Warmth
The company’s corporate declaration is “Bringing happiness to every corner of the world.” That happiness belongs not only to amusement park visitors but also to farmers in the fields. Helping farmers overcome hardship and restoring smiles to their faces is another way of delivering happiness.
Amusement rides bring momentary delight. Farmer assistance brings tangible livelihood security. Two forms of happiness, one shared purpose.
The Ripple Effect of One Watermelon
The initiative produced impacts that exceeded expectations. It helped farmers, strengthened corporate cohesion, and drew industry-wide attention.
Farmers’ Income Protected
Through bulk purchasing, some farmers were able to sell their watermelons and recover basic cultivation costs. While the purchases could not compensate for all losses, they prevented a worst-case scenario of total financial ruin.
One assisted farmer said, “I never imagined that an amusement ride company would come help us sell watermelons. The watermelons are sold, and the weight on my chest is lifted.”
Employees Feel the Company’s Character
Employees who participated reported a deeper sense of identification with the company. A company willing to extend a helping hand to farmers in difficulty is one worth dedicating oneself to.
During watermelon distribution, employees spontaneously discussed ways to help farmers expand their sales channels. The initiative sparked greater enthusiasm for public welfare within the organization.
Industry Demonstration Effect Emerges
After media coverage, the initiative resonated across the amusement ride industry. Several companies expressed interest, and some began participating in agricultural product assistance.
This demonstrates that corporate farmer assistance is replicable. One company’s good deed can inspire an entire industry’s response, creating greater collective social impact.
From One-Time Action to Long-Term Mechanism
The Zhongmu watermelon initiative should not be a one-time event. The company stated it will use this as a starting point to build a long-term mechanism for addressing agricultural product surplus.
Building a Rapid Response System
The company plans to establish an information-sharing channel with Henan’s agricultural authorities. If surpluses occur, the company can receive information immediately and launch procurement without delay.
The company will also explore partnerships with e-commerce platforms to help farmers expand online sales channels. Teaching someone to fish is better than giving them a fish. Improving market accessibility for agricultural products is the lasting solution.
Integrating Farmer Assistance Into Annual Plans
Farmer assistance will be formally incorporated into the annual corporate social responsibility plan. Each summer during peak watermelon season, the company will organize dedicated procurement campaigns.
Furthermore, the company will leverage its amusement ride expertise to explore models integrating agriculture and tourism. For example, helping agricultural parks plan children’s amusement facilities to attract visitors and drive produce sales. Creating crossover synergy between amusement rides and agriculture is a direction worth exploring.
Conclusion: A Simple Act of Goodwill
Thousands of kilograms of watermelons, measured against Zhongmu’s total output, are a drop in the ocean. But for the farmers whose watermelons finally sold, it means a year of hard work was not in vain. It means tuition for next semester is secured.
An amusement ride company going to buy watermelons is not a world-changing event. It is an ordinary story on the Henan plain: neighbors in need, a helping hand extended. LMQ Rides did this not because it has vast resources, but because it is here, on this land, and it chose to act.
True corporate social responsibility does not need grand words to decorate it. It simply means that when someone needs help, you are present, and you choose to act. Looking ahead, this simple goodwill will continue, because this land deserves it, and the people here deserve it.
Want to learn more about LMQ Rides’ corporate social responsibility initiatives or explore our amusement ride solutions? Visit our product catalog or contact us at info@lmqgrouprides.com / WhatsApp +86 185 6992 6229 to schedule a factory visit.
FAQ
The 2026 Zhongmu watermelon surplus was caused by three main factors. First, watermelon output increased significantly, exceeding market demand. Second, logistics channels were disrupted, limiting transport from some production areas. Third, watermelons are highly perishable. Once the optimal sales window passes, quality deteriorates rapidly and buyers lose interest.
The company purchased thousands of kilograms of Zhongmu watermelons for employee welfare and community distribution. While this volume could not resolve the entire county’s surplus, it provided critical relief for several farmers and helped them recover basic cultivation costs.
Purchase prices were set above the prevailing distress-sale market rates. During field visits, the team found that many farmers were forced to sell at prices far below production cost. The company chose to pay above those rates to ensure farmers could cover basic inputs. This was not charity, but respect for the value of labor.
The company organized a volunteer group to travel to Zhongmu. Volunteers assisted farmers with harvesting, carrying, and loading watermelons, working alongside them under the summer sun. Many employees said the experience gave them a deeper appreciation for agricultural labor and a stronger understanding of why the initiative mattered.
The company published a visual report through its official channels, generating widespread attention and shares. Several business partners, after seeing the report, proactively contacted Zhongmu farmers to make purchases. One company’s action drew more social forces to participate, creating a ripple effect of goodwill.
The company plans to integrate farmer assistance into its annual corporate social responsibility plan. This includes establishing an information-sharing channel with agricultural authorities for rapid response, exploring e-commerce partnerships to help farmers expand online sales, and leveraging its amusement ride expertise to pilot agriculture-tourism integration models.
